Production of honokiol and magnolol in suspension cultures of Magnolia dealbata Zucc.

Honokiol and magnolol, important anxiolytic and anti-cancer agents, have been produced in cell-suspension cultures of the eendangered Mexican plant Magnolia dealbata Zucc. In vitro cultures of the plant were established, and the accumulation of honokiol and magnolol in callus and cell-suspension cultures was measured. Leaf samples were the best explants for callus establishment and metabolite production, and FA1 line yielded 2.3mg/g of honokiol and 5.9mg/g of magnolol. Oxidation was inhibited with 1g/L activated charcoal. Cell-suspension batch cultures derived from friable callus obtained from leaves of this species were grown for 30days in shaker flasks. Throughout the growth cycle, honokiol and magnolol levels, fresh and dry weight, and sucrose uptake were determined. The effects of carbon source concentration on biomassa accumulation and the synthesis of bioactive compounds were studied. By using 3 mL of inocula supplemented with 3% (w/v) sucrose, maximum yields of honokiol (8.1mg/g) and magnolol (13.4mg/g) were obtained after 25 days. These yields were 300% and 382%, respectively, of the yields of honokiol and magnolol obtained from field-grown plants